Freezing veg to use as needed..

[CatKisser]

Well it's another month with a shit load going out. Looked at bank account and nearly died. I need to be as absolutely frugal as possible. I'm also feeling very unhealthy at the moment as I've been comfort eating, buying expensive fatty lunches and generally eating crap.
This stops now.
I need to be eating a hell of a lot more vegetables, but the trouble is, I live alone so waste SO much.
I also don;t like going into the shop to buy what I need on a day to day basis as I buy things I don't need and can't afford. (Wine)

Does anyone chop their veg and use just what they need? Does it work or do they turn to mush? Also, just about to sit down and write a meal planner/shopping list so any contributions welcome!

[SoonToBeSix]

Ready frozen veg is just as nutritious possibly more so than fresh. Why not buy fresh that you know you will use up and the rest frozen.

[CatKisser]

Ah, is it? I always thought it "lost" some of its goodness....that sounds ridiculous actually now.

[GaryShitpeas]

I buy nearly all our veg frozen, broccoli, sweet corn, carrots, peas, Peppers, chopped onions, etc

Apparently freezing veg actually helps retains it's nutrients rather than losing them (does that make sense lol?!?)

I just made a batch of sweet potato wedges and wondering whether to freeze some....

[CatKisser]

Ooh yeah, freeze some, they're lovely!

[Fluffycloudland77]

I buy frozen, otherwise it goes mouldy.

Or I buy fresh when it's on aldi super six and freeze it in bags. Leeks or courgettes freeze well for stews in the slow cooker.

[GaryShitpeas]

Ooh didn't know you could freeze courgettes

[Lunaballoon]

You could batch cook some of your veg and freeze in meal size portions. Tomato based sauces are good for this. Fry onions/garlic, add a couple of tins of toms and add whatever veg you fancy (chopped peppers, mushrooms, spinach, herbs etc). This can then be used either on its own as a pasta sauce or bulked out with beans, lentils, mince, chicken etc as a more substantial meal.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Yep, slice them and freeze flat then shake them up. Lemon/lime wedges for fish gin and tonic.

Aldis super six this week is all veg that would freeze well.

[ColdCottage]

Tesco frozen French beans are great as are their baby broad beans.

If you buy frozen spinach check its whole leaf or its just mush.

Just frozen a load of courgettes, sliced into 1/4 then cut out pithy middle. Poured over boiling water to blanch the into bags. Spread out flat so you can break up into pieces once frozen. Then you can just pick out what you want.

[CatKisser]

Thanks - forgot about this blanching business! My mum always tells me to do this. Here is proposed shopping list:
Jarred curry sauces
Butterbeans
Chick peas
Beef skirt/shin
Potatoes
Red onions
Frozen chicken
Frpzen Broccoli
Value Pasta
Kidneys
Wraps
Ham
Cheese
Rocket
Mushrooms
Leeks
Cat food
Casserole mix sachet
Cooking bacon
Stock cubes
Frozen peppers.

I think there's 2 weeks worth of meals there, including stuff I already have in my freezer.

Where to go though? Morrisons, Tesco, Aldi or Lidl?!

[Fluffycloudland77]

I'm an aldi girl. I don't blanch, only because I forgot all about blanching though.

[CatKisser]

Well I went to Lidls and Morrisons and got all this, a load of meat and a bottle of wine.....for £32! Very pleased.
Don't flame me for this....I had some beef skirt, salmon fillets and streak mince al reduced in Morrisons. It wouldn;t scan and no-one was responding to the chap's red light, so he put them in a bag and said "just take them." I KNOW this isn't the right thing to have done, but I took them and they'll do me about 7 meals.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I'd have taken it!. It would have been rude to refuse a gift.

[CatKisser]

Thanks, my thinking too!

[ColdCottage]

I wouldn't bother with a casserole sachet, just use a veg, chicken and beef stock cube, add some garlic granules - the ones from lidl are about 80p and are strong so last ages. If its a tomoato based casserole I use value tinned toms and tomato purée.

Look up Loraine pascal wrap pizzas. Taste amazing but turns out super healthy too. Basicly hubby cooked down a tin of value chopped tomatoes and used as a base. Then add mushrooms (pre cook as they make it wet otherwise) or peppers etc I also added salami, DH had anchovies. Sprinkle with cheese and cook in the oven at 250 for 8mins.

If you've not used home delivery before use all the first order money off deals. Depending on your budget join with someone else one week then they order the next time. Ocado do £20 off first order with £80 spend which is a 25% discount on everything. I combine with using their deals my first shop I saved £32 before the £20 discount!

[CatKisser]

Oh my god those wrap pizzas sound good!! Thanks - I bought wraps so can try those this week.

Good advice on the deliveries...but I just can't do it. I HAVE to get my shopping myself because of the wonderousness of the reduction shelf. Morrisons is the absolute best for this.

Also you're right about the casserole sachet - I've never bought one in my life - until today! It was probably 85p wasted, I don;t know why I bought it. I most likely never will again.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I like the sachets. Dh was bought up on them so it goes down well.

[ColdCottage]

I too am a discount junky normally, just can't do the supermarkets at the moment due to bad back.

Tesco do meat counter (up to 80%) reductions 2h before store closes and Waitrose 3h. Waitrose staff are empowered to do reductions themselves so always ask for a little extra off, or a lot if you take all of one thing - always works.

[starsandunicorns]

I do lidl on saturday morning as soon as it opens ie im waiting with my trolley for them to open and always get discounted meat if you have a farmfoods near you they do fozen veg which is nice i have used fozen veg since forever